ABOUT

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Does war matter to a father threatening to burn down a brand new house built for him by his son, simply to avoid the humiliation of being dependent? Is war what happens when a wife is obedient to her violent but devoted husband? Durnenkov depicts the dehumanising effects of living in a society on the brink of all-out war.

The War Has Not Yet Started is a dark but often hilarious play about where war really lurks – in our homes, in our streets, in our hearts.

All the characters are facets of the same collective modern identity; they are mistrustful, reactionary and deeply paranoid. Age and gender aren’t always important in regards to who plays who; those people are representative of a bigger idea. The vignettes veer from terrifying domestic violence to a surreal and very funny encounter at a swimming pool. And though occasionally Durnenkov’s barrage of scenes feels overly-ambitious or a little tumultuous, the gripping performances and potent sound, and the lighting design hold it all together.